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Just Cause 3 Review

Story:

The story of Just Cause 3 starts with you being dropped into Medici during a military offensive, and you have to quickly act to save your best friend Mario. He and Rico grew up together before Rico left the nation, and now Mario is a part of the rebellion you have come to assist. Sheldon, a member of the Agency is also present on the flight, as the Agency is working to support both sides in the fight, and he continues to play a role throughout the game, though not a very prominent role.

One thing I am still a little unsure of is if Rico is in Medici with the support of the Agency, or if this is personal. It is never clearly stated and with Sheldon assisting Di Ravello because the Agency wants access to Bavarium, it is unclear what exactly is going on. Of course the Agency is not needed to provide Rico with the motivation to topple Di Ravello, because Medici is Rico's homeland, but it still would have been nice if it were stated one way or the other.

The only real criticism I have with the story is how often it feels like I missed something. Rico runs into old friends and is immediately comfortable with them, but I have no idea who they are. It is possible it relates back to the first game in the franchise, which I have not played, but that game is set in a different part of the world, so that seems unlikely. One thing that is fairly well explored though is the relationship between Di Ravello, the Agency, and Rico.

There are a few different kinds of collectibles you can find, and one of them is recordings of Di Ravello journaling as he advanced in rank and power. The details of how he manipulated the people around him and used murder to advance directly or indirectly are all given, including how he orphaned Rico and then gave him over to the Agency for training. It is cliché that Di Ravello basically set Rico on the path to ultimately depose him, but it still works.

I actually do like how Di Ravello is portrayed in several instances, as we see just how calculating he is, but also how it serves his ego. He is capable of devising complicated plans that play on the emotions of people to empower himself, but as Rico proves himself more capable than the army sent against him, the general throws a tantrum like a sociopathic child. Before that, he has established a presence as being so intimidating and powerful that when a subordinate fails him, Di Ravello hands him a gun and while still talking to the others, the subordinate kills himself without any special prompting.

Some of the dialogue and interactions within the game are also pretty fun. At one point Mario manages to get Rico to kiss a cow, but then Rico gets to rub in that he got to ride a missile (which he has done previously, by the way). Also quite amusing are the broadcasts from the government concerning the destruction of military bases throughout the nation. Consistently the government makes up an excuse to explain the destruction as pre-planned and meant to improve the nation. The part that is actually amusing though is when the voice starts talking about being locked in an underground bunker and asks for help. I wish it were possible to replay some of these, like you can the Di Ravello tapes, because they do add a nice flavor to your impact on the nation.

While it is irritating how it feels like you have just dropped into Rico's life with all of these old friends around him, it is not that big of an issue. You get the feel for it before long, helped by the fact that enough of these characters follow certain established archetypes, but a bit more explanation would have been appreciated. Other than that, I have no substantial criticism of the story. It works to provide the player with what they need to continue the story to its end.